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EDITED BY A FRATERNITY OF GENTLEMEN.

NEW-HAVEN, (Conn.) published By A. H. MALTBY & CO.

No. 26.]

FRIDAY, JUNE 16, 1820.

Tho' fools spurn Hymen's gentle pow'rs,
They who improve his golden hours,
By sweet experience know,
That marriage, rightly understood,
Gives to the tender and the good
A paradise below.

Cotton,

MRS. TIDY, to whom we alluded in our last number, as "the good housewife, discharging with dignified ability the duties appropriate to her station"-is a personage deserving a more respectful and extended notice; our readers will therefore bear with us a few moments, while in compliance with inclination, we speak a little more at large of the merits of our friend.

Mrs. MARTHA TIDY is the mother of four children-two sons and two daughters, being the partner of a distinguished member of the bench of one of our higher Courts of Justice. Born of parents who moved in the most respectable circles, she possesses a nice and delicate sense of propriety respecting every part of female conduct, together with a mind expanded by extensive reading and invigorated by long established habits of reflection. In her mother's deportment she uniformly witnessed a happy exemplification of the various duties arising from the domestic relations. To her, she is indebted for the daily industry and systematic economy so evident in the management of her family.

Our friend's economy is not however, the niggardly kind of saving, that pinches and screws in some things, and spends profusely in others; she will not, as many do, regularly act the sharper with the honest mechanick in chaffering for

the odd half-penny, nor will she starve her family for weeks running, in order to make a splendid party, or to purchase a costly piece of furniture or an extravagant article of dress. Mrs. Tidy's conduct is equally removed from meanness on the one hand, and profusion on the other. Her liberality is ap portioned to the value of the end to be attained; and such is her ordinary self-denial that when a truly laudable object presents itself, she has always something to give, and actually gives with a liberal hand and a cheerful heart.

She is not only an economist of money, but of time. The systematic arrangement of her domestic affairs enables her to accomplish more in a shorter period and with less bustle, than some of her busy neighbours, who for the want of such an ar rangement bring but little to pass, though always in a hurry and constantly complaining that all their work will come upon them at once. Mrs. Tidy is not industrious by fits and starts; but each day brings its allotted employment, and finds her ever ready to perform it. Being no friend to doing things by proxy, she herself superintends all the concerns of the family. Notwithstanding her highly respectable mental acquirements and her fondness for literary pursuits, she is neither ashamed, nor unwilling to lend her own assistance, even in the kitchen, if it be necessary. She considers home as peculiarly her sphere of action, and extraneous employments are only to be admitted when they do not interfere with her appropriate duties in this department. With such an example constantly before them, her daughters and her domesticks are, you may be sure, ashamed to be idle.

As every thing here in common times goes on as regularly as clock-work, so sudden emergencies do not disconcert them. The unexpected arrival of a visitor, for example, occasions no extraordinary commotion; the house is not (as we sometimes see it) turned upside down, and such an unconscionable stir and uproar made as if every thing belonging to the family both animate and inanimate was called into active service; thus giving the poor stranger indubitable evidence that he is putting them to a vast deal of trouble, and, of course, that the soon

er he is off, the better for their comfort. Not so with Mrs. Tidy. Her friends, after receiving a cordial welcome, soon feel themselves entirely at home, and really enjoy their visit, since they have every thing calculated to make them comforta ble, while it is not apparent that they cause the least trouble or inconvenience to the family.

I wish every young house-keeper could witness the cleanliness and the order, so conspicuous in Mrs. Tidy's dwelling. Every article has its appropriate place, and there you may always find it. And such is her own dress that one would think her to be neatness personified. The same may be said of the appearance of the rest of the household.

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Mrs. Tidy's ready discernment of what conduct is proper in any given case, is in nothing more manifest than in her ception of the line that divides her husband's province from her own. Even in pecuniary matters, if she wishes to turn his attention to any particular course; it is done rather by way of suggestion than of direction, her remarks in such instances being usually prefaced by a modest would it not be best, or some such phrase. With the concerns properly belonging to men, she never interferes. This is especially the case with their political squabbles. No considerations are sufficiently powerful to get her warmly engaged in a party discussion. I need not add that in this particular, as in most others, she is at antipodes with Mrs. Busybody.-Mrs. Tidy is equally cautious about intermeddling with her neighbour's concerns, and is entirely free from gossipping tittle-tattle. If an unfavourable rumour is started respecting an acquaintance, she never joins the pedlers of small scandal whose character is touched to the life by an unerring pen-and in few words: Withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also, and busy-bodies, speaking things which they ought not. In short, our friend is in scriptural language-and with the scriptural import of the phrase too a keeper at home.

In the government of the family, Mrs. Tidy and her husband make it a point always to be agreed; at least never to

counteract or defeat each other's efforts. The system of discipline they pursue is the only good one it is uniformly mild, yet firm-moderate, yet decisive. Partiality, prejudice, and anger here have no place. When the severe reproof is given, or other chastisement administered; the subject of it feels that it is done with reluctance and that his true interest is the sole motive. Nothing can be more correct than their ideas of the proper object of the education of children-to train them up for usefulness in this life and happiness in the life to come. Accordingly, the attention is not directed exclusively to the cultivation of their persons or of their minds; but every lurking evil of disposition is carefully corrected-the temper is watched with an anxious eye, and, if occasion requires, is disci plined with a steady hand.

Such are the outlines of Mrs. Tidy's character. It is almost unnecessary to add that it is in the company of a partner and a family like this, her husband delights to spend his leisure hours. He need not wander abroad in search of relaxation; varied and intelligent conversation awaits him under his own roof. When misfortunes befal him, he is not driven to the places so frequently resorted to, for the purpose of drowning care and stifling sorrow: there is at home, one who shares his trials, sympathises with him in his afflictions, and rejoices in his successes. No wonder then that this favoured husband habitually recommends matrimony to his single friends, and so often repeats, with a warmth and energy that does him honour, the language of our motto:

Tho' fools spurn Hymen's gentle pow'rs

We who improve his golden hours,

By sweet experience know,

That marriage, rightly understood,
Gives to the tender and the good
A paradise below.

A loving epistle on Idleness, addressed to all whom it may con

cern.

Be not alarmed, gentle reader, at the annunciation of so stale a subject. Although much has been said upon it by the

moralist and the school-boy; still much remains to be said. I shall be brief however; for brevity, in this enlightened age and country, is a quality of all things the most interesting. Many most excellent people are deterred from reading any thing when they see it extended beyond the length of their nose. A grave gentleman (no doubt a very great reader,) assured me the other day that he had not patience to peruse a piece of unquestionable merit, because, forsooth, it was full eight pages in length! I will not, in the following epistle, trespass so upon thee.

It has been usual with moralists to enlarge on the criminality of idleness, and its destructive tendency in the person who is under its dominion. But I am far from thinking this its worst effect. What is it to me if a man chooses to waste his time and advance towards old age with no accumulation either of property or intellect? That is his coneern, not mine. But when he is determined to keep me from any useful employment of my time, then I am on the lookout.

What right has a man to call me off day after day from serious pursuits merely for his own amusement? If he will not read or employ himself in some other way, let him consort with those who are of a similar disposition, and not impose upon a good natured man who would fain be otherwise. engaged.

Now, reader, though I am none of the most diligent myself; yet I love to have my time at my own command, and therefore, in business hours I do not wish for company. Do not conclude from this last expression that I am a man of active business. I am engaged, beloved reader, in the same pursuits, peradventure, with thee. My books or my pen are my companions; and I love to retire from the busy world and enjoy my own thoughts in their society. But of late I have found this to be impossible.

I am no sooner cleverly seated at some interesting employment than Mr. ** comes in and takes his seat. I am then sure to be detained at least two hours. This same wise gentleman seems to have nothing in particular to say. His whole

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